Dick Blume / The Post-StandardFlames engulf the home of Roy Stanton at 7504 E. Keeney Road, in Cuyler, early this morning. Firefighters at the scene said they were hampered by several stacks of wood inside the home, located in the northeastern corner of Cortland County. Firefighters said no one was injured in the fire.
Cuyler, NY -- Investigators suspect an electrical problem may have caused a fire that destroyed a home this morning in the northeast corner of Cortland County, a county fire official said.
Firefighters dispatched about 7:22 a.m. found the ranch home at 7504 E. Keeney Road, Cuyler, already heavily involved in flame when they arrived, county Deputy Fire Coordinator Kevin Whitney said.
Two crews went inside to try and control the fire but where forced out when the ceiling and roof collapsed, he said.
No one was injured fighting the fire and homeowner Roy Stanton escaped unharmed, Whitney said. The American Red Cross has been notified about the incident, he said.

The blaze is believed to have begun in a back room. A wood stove was in the area, but Stanton told fire officials that the house had experienced an electrical problem and investigators are exploring that issue further, Whitney said.

Firefighters had plenty of water to fight the blaze, he said.

“This was a matter of, the volume of fire consumed the house to the point where no matter how aggressive we were, we were going to lose the house,” he said.

Firewood stacked in a shed attached to the rear of the house is not believed to have contributed to the volume of flame, he said.